HoosierFan1994

Right now: 2 spots for 3 teams..I think Boise State has to win MWC to get in. North Carolina Texas Xavier I think IU is the 3rd to last team in. Bid thief alert in the MWC. If Colorado State wins tonight MWC steals a bid (Boise State the other team). A10 and AAC also other leagues to watch. Will be no bid thieves in the Power 5 conferences. 80-90% confident IU is in. 100% would be going to Dayton.

Indiana I think is in unless there are 2-3 bid thieves. Book the hotel rooms for Dayton.

Reality: I want Indiana to hire a proven guy too. But the time for that was 2001 and 2006. They did so with Sampson and we know how that turned out. Mike Davis is a great guy...but that decision to keep him has haunted the program for a long time. This isn't Dolson's fault Previous administrators have ruined this program. I know a lot of you don't like Goodman but I think McCollum is the guy. The timing was interesting considering it was after Indiana lost today. Again not my favorite choice but I don't hate it. I take his resume over Archie Miller's. You don't win 4 titles in D2 and 30 games in D1 by accident. My question is how does his personality fit at IU. I hope he can create a good culture.

Possibility of a few stolen bids. If Xavier beats Marquette today I think Indiana slides into team 67 of the tournament. It's not the lock I thought they would be.

More reason to make the NCAA Tournament: I don't want them to play in that stupid Crowd Tournament and just keep Woodson around for 2 more weeks.

Stating the obvious. Oregon is just better in every single aspect. Surprised this game is even this close.

The more I think about it, I don't think it's going to be Brad Brownell. Said many times so far I think he is the "Porter Moser" of the search. (IF you don't remember in 2021 Moser's name was thrown around quite a bit during the home stretch of the search). I don't know about McCollum. Either he's the guy or it's a smokescreen for somebody. Goodman and Osterman have also been throwing around his name. Osterman mentioned him on a podcast and Goodman predicted McCollum on the F68 podcast today. You don't have to like Goodman but that dude knows stuff. Part of me thinks Dolson has someone nobody is even talking about (maybe a former D2 coach in Indiana..I don't think he is realistic) or has already been "eliminated" from consideration (Drew, Beard...NO, NOT Stevens). I feel this search has been pretty quiet compared to the 2017 and 2021 ones.

Yeah Matrix has us as the 3rd to last team in. We aren't the lock I thought we would be after Saturday.

I was coming on here to post the same thing..how does Indiana go from one of the last 4 byes to last 4 in without playing.

I'm to the point where I think it's McCollum or he is a smokescreen from someone nobody is even talking about. I can't see it being Brad Brownell. I think he is this search's Porter Moser.

Sorry guys I've been off most of the day, what's the spring break rumor?

A couple of things to remember: 1) It's very unlikely that a coach that is already winning at a P5 school is going to leave for another P5 job with more pressure. Ask Kentucky and Louisville. (Think about your profession..if you are happy, would you leave for a job that pays just a little more but has more pressure? I wouldn't) 2) Nobody knows what's going on and again, that's how it SHOULD be. I can't stress that enough. 3) Look at what as doomed our last few coaches that have been fired for losing. Crean (his shelf life ran out), Miller (didn't have the personality to win at IU), and Woodson (didn't put in the work necessary to win big here). If we all can see that, I imagine Scott Dolson is making it a priority to find someone that can put in the work and has the personality for Indiana. Here is what gives me HOPE...Mike Woodson did not put in the work needed to win Big Ten Titles, make deep runs in the NCAA tournament, and compete for National Championships. It sounds like he did the minimum. Yet, he made the tournament 3 out of 4 years. He was able to convince Trayce Jackson-Davis to come back. He did land some nice recruits and portal guys (JHS, Malik, Ware, Mgbako, Ballo, Rice, etc). Came VERY Close to landing some big recruits (Queen, Fland, Harralson, Mullins, Liam*) Imagine what a coach that PUTS in the work can do. I'm warming up to Ben McCollum. Even though I'm from Evansville, I won't do backflips over a Brad Brownell hire. I'll give him a chance and trust he can do better than Woodson but will it be good enough? That being said, I'd take the field over these two guys. It's possible Brownell is this search's version of Porter Moser. My advice: enjoy the basketball these next two weeks. March is freaking awesome. While it sucks to be on the bubble and it's NOT where I want IU to be, at least they'll be playing in the tournament. I mention this all the time I live in a divided house. My wife and her father-in-law are HUGE UK fans. They hated the Mark Pope hire. It turned out really well for them this year. They play a fun style of basketball and it looks like they can be a second weekend team this year. He's been able to recruit well. I am sure UL fans hated the Pat Kelsey hire. Again, so far looking good. I trust Scott Dolson to hire the right guy.

My takeaway from the spaces...I just don't think anyone knows and honestly that is how it SHOULD be. We are all eager to hear things but I honestly don't think too many leaks is good. Imagine you are wanting to get one of the better jobs in your profession. You likely wouldn't want your employer to know about it. Rabjohns did prove a point. He compared how Dolson handled the 2021 basketball hire (remember the whole Matta/Holtmann/Moser leaks) vs. the Cignetti hire (his name kind of came out of nowhere 24 hours before). I could very well be wrong on this opinion...Indiana Basketball is going through the worst stretch in program history...1 winning season in the Big Ten in the last 9 years. I don't think the hire is going to be a Brad Brownell or Ben McCollum type. I just don't. I think it's a proven guy. I'm also not qualified to talk about the whole stuff with Chris Beard. I get both sides of it. I'll say this: I think he is the guy if Stevens, May, Drew, Otzelberger, etc. all say no. Rabby said this and I 100% agree. Indiana has to start winning. I like the Hysterics/Rabby more than most of you. They've been right and they've been wrong before. I think they were just sharing what they hear.

Yep...right when Trilly did his Harrelson prediction he said: Lot's of Chatter for ND.

I know the portal window closes early, but that doesn't mean players have to pick their new school by that date. Just means they have to enter by the said date, correct? I think Ware, Rice, Ballo all committed around mid-April. I'm not worried about a coach being late to the party. Again, I'll be shocked if this search goes beyond 48 hours after IU's season ends..unless its a CBB coach still in the NCAA's.

This times 100000. I'm tired of being a bubble team and just an average Big Ten Team. Only one of those seasons was enjoyable and it's because they had one of the best players in program history. Whoever the next coach is (Stevens in our wildest dreams or someone like Alan Huss) is going to have to win and win right away. The majority of the coaches discussed would most likely do better than the last 8 years of Archie Miller and Mike Woodson given their proven track record. Off topic but FWIW I would not want to be a 4/5 seed playing High Point in the first round.

I really need to cancel my subscription. Nothing against Rabjohns, I just don't think since I've been a member (on and off since 2019ish) any news really has broke from him on there.

Family has been sick today so I've had "free" time today. I wanted to see what the "hot boards" looked like in 2017 and in 2021. Archie's name was mentioned from the start. However, Billy Donovan was the prize during that search. I think Friday was the Albers "Donovan was in Bloomington" tweet. I know Alford at some point said it wasn't him. Next day is when they announced Archie Miller as coach. Search lasted 9 days. We all know who was the man in 2021. His press conference basically ended all speculation. Search went on for another week. Woodson's name kept appearing everywhere despite the Stevens, Beilein, Moser (lol), Matta, Holtmann talk. Search lasted 13 days. A couple of things that stand out: 1) 2025 candidates are MUCH better than in 2017 and 2021. 2) While they weren't the "favorite" Archie and Woodson's names did appear pretty much from early on in the process. It is very likely the name of our next coach has been discussed/mentioned. I do think there is a tight lip on this process (as there should be) but names get thrown around for a reason. 3) Smoke really didn't pick up until the day they were hired. I think Archie was broke that morning by Woj. Woodson I think by Bozich. If I remember right there was a feeling or rumor announcement would be made that day. Very similar to Cig back in 2023. With IU (Likely) making the tournament, I would expect either an announcement or leak 24-48 hours after their season ends or when our new coach's season ends. Earliest I can see that being would be around March 22. I just don't see any leaks happening. Love the speculation and excitement, but let's not get carried away. Just think it'll be quiet for 3 weeks. Let's hope the team gives us a lot to be excited about. Last item: we've heard what Stevens (through Goodman), May, Cronin think about the IU job. Even Pearl has commented on IU before. Beard gave a Coach Knight shout-out recently. Why has nobody in the media asked Scott Drew? It's just interesting with the Texas insider thinking it's him. Cronin is still my prediction, but there are a lot of realistic reasons why I think it could be Drew.

This times 100000!!! Also if you can't connect with people or build relationships, you are SOL as a teacher/coach. I too agree this is what sunk Archie Miller.

John Fanta, with Field of 68 and Fox Sports, went on Pardon My Take and predicted Otzelberger to IU. Just interesting after Goodman's comments Friday night and Rabjohns tonight. You may not like them, but the Field of 68 is probably the best there is at covering our sport (give them a shot. It's not just Goodman on there). Not saying it'll be TJ. It's just worth keeping an eye on. TJ I think would be as close to a "grand slam" hire as we could get. His teams the last few years have improved so much offensively. My only concern is they have a legit Final Four contending team. I just don't see a coach taking a team to the final four and leaving that same year. Kind of hope they make Sweet 16 and get beat for that sake.

I listen to the Field of 68. At first, I thought it was Goodman trying to get his buddy a raise. He just got one in December so I don't think it's that. IF he's a realistic choice for IU, I'd put him at 2 behind Scott Drew and ahead of Mick Cronin.

He's from Indiana. Maybe he's just done at Baylor. He won a title there. Could want a new challenge? Better resources at IU? They are having a down year. I could see it.

Greatest coaching staff of all time!!!

If Indiana does have their guy, you have to think it's someone not coaching right now...right? I just don't see a college coach already agreeing to the job. Martha had a great tweet yesterday. Curt Cignetti wasn't on a lot of Hot boards. In fact, I remember his name starting to heat up about a day before it was announced. That was on purpose. More I think about it, I don't think it's anyone we are really talking about or it's (put my tin foil hat on..I kid) the guy from Boston. It is odd to me to schedule a game against Marquette without a coach. Also odd that Woodson visited Sisley on Friday.

I've been critical of this team since the Louisville game. That being said what we saw today is all we really want as IU fans. I don't care who the coach is or if we get 5 stars, portal guys, or a 3 star from Indiana. Just freaking play hard. That second half was as good of a half as we've seen here in quite some time. I hope Woodson keeps the same lineup and rotations. This is the time of the year you shorten your bench. It would be nice to see these guys go on a small run.